The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-09-02
LARGEST VINEYARD ON EARTH,
What Irrigation Has Done on
Naked Plain.

about Senator S:.anford's immens erancb
at Vina, but the only way to get an
adequate idea of it is to pay the place
visit. This o reporter did few days
ago. Stanford's ranch begins at the
Tehama county line, and the first view
one gets Of bis land is not PROPOSES.
ing. 1t Is nothing but barren, tree.
less plain, where the bedrock crops out
in spots and everywhere lies but few
feet beneath the surface. Nothing will
grow here except o short dry weed,
but the sheep like this weed, and the
plain IS therefore one vast sheep range,
for Senator Stanford is O man Of varied
resources and manages to find use for
all the land be owns.
As you approach Vina the aspect Of
the country suddenly changes, and you
Jump from sunburned plains into the
midst Of green alfalfa fields and vine.
yards. The former are made produc.
tive by frequent flooding from irrigat-
ing bitches. This flooding is good for
the soil, but bal for health, and If IL
makes alfalfa it also makes malaria.
The water is brought in bitches from
Deer creek and turned into the fields
until it stands like vast lake. As
soon as one crop of alfalfa is cut an
other is raised In this way, all the year
round. It is used very extensively for
stock in place Of hay.
But the vineyard is the wonderful
feature of the Stanford ranch. 1t ex.
tends for several miles up and down
on each side Of the road as you ap.
proach Vina, and back from the road
as far as the eye can reach. In some
places the vines are large. In others
they have just been set out, and in the
latter case they are supported by an
army of stakes. This vineyard con.
tains $500 acres and is the largest In
the world, but still the senator is not
satisfied, and proposes to have 5000
acres. More vines are being set ont
every year. The prettiest sight Of all
are the old Greek vines, which form the
nucleus OF Mr.. Stapford's vineyard.
These vines are all old and stand folly
five feet high. The trunks are larger
than mans arm. The branches are
trimmed off at the bottom and allowed
to grow out at the top, until the vine.
yard looks like an orchard Of young
peach trees, ana they are all pfuned
of SO evenly that tbsy make one level
door of green as the eye glances across
them.
The vines already IN bearing require
the attention Of several hundred men
to taRe care Of the gyapes they produce,
and 1t will take Small army Of men
10 attepd the crop each year when all
the vihes get to bearing. The winery
already in use on the yanch'is large
building, but now SeuatOr Stanford is
havipgA brick, structure erected which
looverS two acres. The walls are al
ready up. and 14O pillars are being
erected to support the roof. The build.
ing is to hold the wine watts and casks,
and is'a sort of wine cellar above
ground 1t is of mammoth proportions,
but 80 Is the vineyard, and SO will tho
Drop of grapes be.
One could talk about the vineyard
and winery all day, but there are other
things to be mentioned. Next to his
vines. in Senator Stanford's esteem,
come his fine horses. OF these there
are large bands to b. seen, all beauties
and OF the best blood. The senator
makes speciality ofraising fast horses.
which he sells for fancy figures. Every
animal is spirited, beautifully proper
toned, and looks sleek and smooth.
The two stations to which he breeds
all his mares are Clay and Whips. The
former the senator values at $4,000. |
Clay is q rather small brown horse,
kind and gentle in disposition. Whips |
Is fine large bay, full OF life and
beautifully built. In fact the Senator
considers Whips the ideal of horsshesh |
and beyond price. The animal was ex.
pected to make very fast, time, but was
famed in his early training at Palo Alto,
and hence is used only for breeding
purposes. Several fine horses have |
been famed lately on the Palo Alto
track, which is considered too hard,
and the senator intends d build train
ing track on his Vina ra6rh. Negotja.
tons are now in progresBMor the puy-
chase Of the COPELAND estate, which ad.
joins Stanford ongthe weSt uext to tho
river. and when these phkqtiatiops are
the track wiz probably be
built on this land. Then all of the
line stock will be brought to Vina,
which will be made headquarters for
The training department.
Other features of this wonderful
ranch deserve extended meuGon. The
nine large barns for the, horses, which
ire made as comfortabletas most dwell
ings; the barns where the Holsteips
nave their quarters. kept as neat as o
,arlor; those fine old H(,lstein cattle
Of monstronk size and
marked in black and white;
me COW in particular, which is being